Marking gauge



July 31, 1956 s. zALx-:sKl 2,756,505

MARKING GAUGE.

Filed Sept. 29, 1953 INVENTOR. N .STELLA zALEsn-n ATTORNEK United States Patent MARKING GAUGE Stella Zaleski, Roseville, Mich. Application September 29, 19531, Serial No. 382,890 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-42) This invention relates to measuring devices, and has particular reference to a device for measuring and marking at work, such as lumber, sheet metal, sheathing, paper, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a measuring and marking instrument, which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and eliicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which is constructed and arranged so that an operator, without special skill or training, may measure and mark work for sawing, cutting, and the like.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawings forming part of the Within disclosure, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end vieW of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a modied form of the device.

Fig. 4 is the reverse side of the device shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particular to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates the base portion, and the reference character 8 indicates an extension which is secured to the base 7 by cement or other suitable means. The base portion 7 is preferably made of metal or a rigid plastic material, and is in the form of a right angle triangle having one edge inturned to form a flange 9, which serves as a means for guiding the device along the edge of a board or the like which it is desired to saw or cut, as hereinafter more fully described.

The base portion 7 may be of any size, but, as illustrated in Fig. 1, it is formed with the two sides of the right angle 10 and 11 being each six inches in length, each side being calibrated in inches om the apex of the angle. The hypothenuse of the base member 7 is provided With stepped portions, and is primarily divided into six equal spaces, as indicated by the numerals 1 to 6 inclusive, along the hypothenuse (Fig. 1). Each of these six spaces also forms right angle triangles, with imaginary lines drawn vertically through the inch calibrations on the side 11 and transversely through the inch calibrations formed on the side 10, as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the six spaces along the hypothenuse may then be divided into smaller spaces and calibrated in quarter inches, all of the measurements being taken from the side 11 as the starting line, taking into consideration the thickness of the guide flange 9.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that it is desired to take a one inch cut olf of a board, the base member 7 would be laid on top of the board with the guide ange 9 overhanging the edge of the board and resting in close contact therewith. A pencil or other marking instrument is then placed at the apex of the small angle formed at the one inch calibration on the hypothenuse of the right angle base member. The base member 7 is then moved along the board, causing the pencil or other marking instrument 2,756,505 Patented July 3l, 1956 ICC to travel with it. As the base member 7 is moved along the edge of the board, a mark is scribed on the board, which is exactly one inch from the edge of the board. The same procedure is followed if two, three, four, iive or six inch marks are to be made.

Squares can be marked on the board by using the calibrations indicated along the side 11 of the base member 7. The side 10 of the base member 7 may then be used as a straight edge for drawing lines between the marks made along the side 11 and along the hypothenuse of the base member 7.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the base member 7 as having an extension member 8 attached thereto. This extension may be in the form of a tape measure or yard stick, or the like.

To use the portion 8, the side 10 of the base member 7 is rst aligned with the lower edge of the board or other piece to be cut, with the ange 9 in close contact and alignment with the left edge of the board, the length of the proposed cut is then indicated on the board by making a mark opposite the desired length calibration on the portion 8. If a length greater than the twenty four inch calibration is desired, a mark can be made on the board at 24, and the base edge 10 can then be moved to that mark and the process repeated until the desired length is determined. The Width is then indicated by placing a pencil or cutting instrument in the desired indentation along thc hypotenuse of the base 7, and moving the base 7 and pencil in the direction of the length mark previously made.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modified form of the base member 7. In this embodiment the hypotenuse is also stepped but the one inch spaces along the hypothenuse of the base member 7 are not themselves stepped but instead of reducing them into a series of smaller steps for indicating quarter inches, I have indicated the quarter inch markings by means of notches 12 for receiving a pencil point or other marking instrument. In this embodiment, the side 10 of the base member is also notched, as at 13, at each of the inch calibrations. The device shown in Fig. 3 operates in exactly the same manner as previously described with reference to Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4, I illustrate the reverse side of a modied form of the base member, as shown in Fig. 3, and the arrangement of the calibrations thereon.

Having described by invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described, comprising a piece of rigid sheet material having two sides and a hypotenuse, dening a right angle triangle, and having calibrations along all sides, one of the sides having an integrated, depending guide ilange, the hypotenuse of said member being divided into step-like elements of a size relative to the calibrations on said other sides, there being indentations for receiving a pencil point along at least one of the sides remote from the said guide flange, and there being a rigid, calibrated extension, secured to said triangle in alignment with said flange.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,523,919 Vitek et al. Jan. 20, 1925 1,877,341 Kurtz Sept. 13, 1932 2,450,769 Rothblum Oct. 5, 1948 2,544,099 Ermold May 22, 1951 2,571,569 Greenwood Oct. 16, 1951 2,637,110 Gilbertson May 5, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 133,588 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1919 84,466 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1920 

